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Topic Review (Newest First)

07-11-2013 01:22 PM

Outrageous

Re: reefing lines

I'm asking my sailmaker, who is building me a new main next month, to get them. Will advise.

07-08-2013 02:20 AM

MedSailor

Re: reefing lines

Quote:

Originally Posted by Outrageous

Thanks to Saildog, I'm going to pursue these on my mainsail. Here is the site: Goiot products

Are you contacting them directly to buy them or did you find a source? How much do they cost?

MedSailor

07-03-2013 06:39 PM

knuterikt

Re: reefing lines

Quote:

Originally Posted by svHyLyte

In the lower photo, the forward angle forced on the reefing line by the bull's eye block on the mast immediately below the boom pulls the turning block connected to the cringle strap at the luff forward, causing the line to run over the forward edge of the exit slot on the top of the boom. This arrangement introduces a lot of unnecessary friction to the system and will cause the line to fail at the slot in the boom due to chafe in any extended blow. Eliminating the bull's eye block below the boom will eliminate these problems and create a fairer lead to what I assume is a turning block at the mast base. Single line reefing sustems are great in theory, in practice, not so much.

FWIW...

Removing the bull's eye will create a new problem...
The reefing line will pull the sail away from the mast casing wrong load pattern on the sail.
So if you remove the bull's eye you must move the reef cringle furter aft in the sail.

07-03-2013 02:04 PM

Outrageous

Re: reefing lines

Thanks to Saildog, I'm going to pursue these on my mainsail. Here is the site: Goiot products

I'm not leading lines aft to cockpit just yet, but this should make it faster/easier to get the main tight to boom. Later, I can explore cockpit reefing.

We've ripped the main reefing in 30kt+ winds 2 of the last 3 races on SF Bay. Of course the sail is 13 yrs old, so time to replace. Also, I'm putting in one reef minimum before we leave the slip from now on. Safer to shake out than put in.

02-12-2011 01:47 PM

Omatako

It has to be said that as single-line reefing systems go, the George's system is a compromise on the real thing. The turn block that looks so incongruous on the outside of the boom in picture 2 is almost certainly an after-market solution and hence it doesn't work very well. These add-on systems are touted by Harken others as a solution for vessels that were never set up with single line reefing originally.

On a properly set-up single-line reefing system, the boom will have a set of sheaves in the upper front end of the boom to feed lines up to the tack cringles without any chafe and another set of sheaves in the lower front end of the boom to feed the reefing lines coming from the clew end down to the winch. This system will have a balance block in the boom that creates the interaction between the tack line and the clew line.

The positioning of the sheaves at the very end of the boom also ensures that the tack cringle is pulled as far forward as is practically possible.

It is however true to say that most smaller boats will have a boom section too small for dual sheaves to be installed without weakening the boom or to accommodate the balance blocks (one for each reef).

There are also those amongst us who will say that a single line reefing system results in excessive line length which clutters the cockpit. I wonder how this differs from having two different lines for each reef coming into the cockpit (if this is even possible, most double line systems operate from the mast) each having to have it's own tackle (rope clutch, cleat, whatever).

You will glean from the above that I am a full-on supporter of single line reefing.

02-12-2011 10:03 AM

svHyLyte

Quote:

Originally Posted by sailingdog

This doesn't really help much, since the exit slot is angled and the blocks would not line up fair with the line inside the boom, chafing the line, though probably to a lesser degree. Installing a spar slot exit plate would probably help a lot, since it would be less abrasive than the aluminum spar itself.

Passing the reefing line through the center of the two sheaves would eliminate chafe at the exit slot from the boom. The aft box-sheave keeps the line fair within the boom. (The line doesn't care whether the block is vertical or horizontal or anything in between.) The forward box-sheave provides a low friction lead to the turning block on the luff. That, coupled with the Goiot cringles you described would pretty much eliminate friction/chafe at the boom end.

FWIW...

02-12-2011 09:39 AM

sailingdog

This doesn't really help much, since the exit slot is angled and the blocks would not line up fair with the line inside the boom, chafing the line, though probably to a lesser degree. Installing a spar slot exit plate would probably help a lot, since it would be less abrasive than the aluminum spar itself.

Quote:

Originally Posted by svHyLyte

Alternately, one could simply use a double sheave exit block on the boom such as the Harken H089:

02-12-2011 09:27 AM

svHyLyte

Quote:

Originally Posted by catamount

The Problem with svHyLyte's suggestion is that you need a forward pull on the tack line, otherwise all the pressure of the sail will come on the first luff slide above the reef.

Here's one possible solution -- add a small block on a strop to the top of the boom to help re-direct the reef line so as to avoid chafing against the edges of the sheave box:

This isn't a bad suggestion.

However, the simplest solution is to remove the bull'seye block from the mast.

Alternately, one could simply use a double sheave exit block on the boom such as the Harken H089:

02-12-2011 08:19 AM

catamount

Quote:

Originally Posted by GeorgeB

The ... photo illustrates the problem with single line reefing. The reefing line suffers friction going through the new cringle, making for more tension on the tack than the clew. Unfortunately, most of the force is on the clew. I rigged a Harken Carbo Block to reduce that friction, but unfortunately, now have a point of chaffe in my system. The solution for that is to cut new exits on the bottom side of my boom, but the extra slots will weaken the boom just where you want it to be strong. One solution begets a new problem…

.....

Quote:

Originally Posted by svHyLyte

In the ... photo, the forward angle forced on the reefing line by the bull's eye block on the mast immediately below the boom pulls the turning block connected to the cringle strap at the luff forward, causing the line to run over the forward edge of the exit slot on the top of the boom. This arrangement introduces a lot of unnecessary friction to the system and will cause the line to fail at the slot in the boom due to chafe in any extended blow. Eliminating the bull's eye block below the boom will eliminate these problems and create a fairer lead to what I assume is a turning block at the mast base. Single line reefing sustems are great in theory, in practice, not so much.

The Problem with svHyLyte's suggestion is that you need a forward pull on the tack line, otherwise all the pressure of the sail will come on the first luff slide above the reef.

Here's one possible solution -- add a small block on a strop to the top of the boom to help re-direct the reef line so as to avoid chafing against the edges of the sheave box:

02-11-2011 10:56 PM

MastUndSchotbruch

Quote:

Originally Posted by sailingdog

Hmm... I couldn't tell you, I don't remember how much I paid for them. I bought them off of a friend down at the marina, who bought them in France to complicate the issues, and they were priced in Euros, and I bought them in USD.

Thanks anyway. It does seem like a good idea and may be worthwhile to explore.

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